The Weird and Wonderful World of Teaching
It was a desire to do something different, combined with a vague (optimistic) notion that I could be an influence for the good in people’s lives, that I decided to do a teaching course. I’d never...
View ArticleThe Weird and Wonderful World of Teaching (2)
On the first day of the teaching course, we were shown a sample lesson plan. I stared at in disbelief. I don’t know what I thought teachers actually did, but I think I fondly assumed that they just...
View ArticleThe Weird and Wonderful World of Teaching (3)
The course continued. Two people gave up the teaching ghost, but the rest of us soldiered on, muddling our way through. Life as we had known it disappeared. Confidence too, as our lesson plans were...
View ArticleThe Weird and Wonderful World of Teaching (4)
Although I wasn’t nearly as enamoured of teaching as I’d expected, I decided to take a job teaching children English after school. I knew absolutely nothing about children or what was normal for them,...
View ArticleWild and not so Wonderful
(Part of the Weird and Wonderful World of Teaching Series) After that first nerve-shredding day of teaching, the idea of returning for a second day was about as appealing as flossing a crocodile. But...
View ArticleGetting to Grips
(Part of the Weird and Wonderful World of Teaching series) Gradually, I got to grips with things. The wild classes became controllable once I instituted the children’s equivalent of the Bonus...
View ArticlePink Rainbows and Giggling Tigers
Only one hurdle remained before I could finally wave goodbye to my first (and last) year of teaching – the school concert. The 7-year olds (who were now 8) were to perform ”I Can Sing A Rainbow” – a...
View ArticleA Gloomy Affair
The evening before the school concert, I went to help set up the hall, which was in a cavernous old building that had once served as municipal offices. My heels echoed loudly in the marble entrance...
View ArticleThe School Concert
Part of the series, The Weird and Wonderful World of Teaching You know that Second World War film, “The Longest Day?” Well, the school concert was “The Longest Night”. It only lasted two hours, but at...
View ArticleChalking it up to Experience
Last in the series, The Weird and Wonderful World of Teaching At the party after the school concert, I knocked back the wine big style, so utterly overjoyed was I to have it over and done with – not...
View Article